Grid covers worth £250k stolen in six-month theft spree in Stockport

Metal thieves have stolen drain covers worth a quarter of a million pounds from the streets of Stockport – in just six months. Around 1,000 iron grids have been wrenched from roads across the borough, putting motorists, pedestrians and bikers at serious risk.

BEHIND BARS: Aaron Peel – ‘the grid man’ – was jailed for 12 months after being caught stealing iron drain covers. The judge said there was no suggestion Peel was responsible for stealing more than five grids and that he was ‘not a scapegoat’

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

Metal thieves have stolen drain covers worth a quarter of a million pounds from the streets of Stockport – in just six months.

Around 1,000 iron grids have been wrenched from roads across the borough, putting motorists, pedestrians and bikers at serious risk.

The grates fetch only a few pounds each as scrap, but cost £250 of taxpayers’ cash to replace.

The scale of the problem came to light when one metal thief, Aaron Peel, was jailed.

Handing down a 12-month sentence, Judge Bernard Lever said he must send ‘the clearest of messages’ to other metal thieves.

Peel, who ran his own construction and roofing firm, was caught lifting five iron grids from roads across Stockport then selling them to Solidcast Ltd in Hyde, Tameside.

He was only prosecuted for stealing five grids but visited Solidcast 78 times, the court heard.

He was arrested after local residents saw him taking the grates and noted down the licence plate of his Ford Transit.

Officers later found six grates belonging to Stockport council in the back of the vehicle.

Peel, of Sale, repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, but finally admitted his crimes on the morning of his trial at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty to stealing five iron grids and attempting to steal a further six grates, between September 2010 and May last year.

Adam Lodge, prosecuting, said: "Peel went to Solidcast so often he was nicknamed ‘the grid man’ by staff there."

Mr Lodge told the court how 1,000 iron grids had been stolen from the streets of Stockport in six months.

Milena Bennett, defending, said Peel ‘stupidly’ stole the grates to help pay wages for his employees.

She added: "He has suffered spending Christmas in custody (awaiting sentence). It has really impacted on him. He’s certain he would never find himself before the court again."

Peel had previous convictions for fraud and dishonesty, it was heard.

Sentencing, Judge Lever said there was no suggestion Peel was responsible for stealing more than five grids and that he was ‘not a scapegoat’.

But he added: "This sentence will teach you the seriousness of this particularly anti-social and persistent criminal conduct.

"It punishes you, but also sends the clearest possible message to anyone wanting to pinch grids in Stockport what will happen to them if they come before me."

There was no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of the scrap dealers.

A spokesman for Solidcast Ltd said: "(Peel) said he was doing a big job and bringing in a lot of this stuff. He appeared regularly and was extremely plausible and intelligent. Metal theft has been bad news for everyone. We kick out people if they are suspicious and don’t want to have stolen metal on our premises."

Supt Craig Thompson, of Greater Manchester Police, said "Criminals that target the power, transport, water and telecommunications infrastructures to make a quick buck not only put their own lives at risk but those of innocent members of our communities."